Part 14. Latin America weighs in

Latin America is the cradle of Liberation Theology initiated in the 1960s within the Roman Catholic Church. The context is one of dictatorships or unstable democracies supporting economic and social systems which favoured the wealthy at the expense of the poor. There was extreme social and eonomic repression. The poor had no political voice, no economic clout and the Roman Catholic Church perceived at the very least as tolerating if not supporting the status quo.

Liberation Theology seeks to understand and reflect on the concerns of the oppressed by listening and responding with action in the political sphere and by direct action.

A key aspect of Liberation Theology is the recognition that that the oppressed themselves should articulate the message of Jesus in the light of their experience. Their ideas should not be directed or controlled by the Church.

Put another way: oppressed people should not sit back and meekly accept the dictats and interpretations of the Church. They should foster their own understanding and act upon it. They should be empowered. The gatekeepers should no longer dictate the message and the action.

Whilst Liberation Theology has its roots in the context of extreme social  political and economic oppression the principles can and have been applied in other contexts where a group perceives itself as being oppressed.  This includes feminist theology, black theology and issues surrounding sexual orientation.

Liberation Theology was criticised by the Roman Catholic Church as having its roots in Marxism although it proponents argued it was merely using the tools of Marxist analysis. 

In reponse to Liberation Theology the Roman Catholic Church has developed the concept of social justice. The Vatican has stated the following:

Jesus taught us that on the Day of Judgement God will ask what each of us did to help the poor and needy: "Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me ".  This is reflected in the Church's  canon law, which states, "The Christian faithful are also obliged to promote social justice and, mindful of the precept of the Lord   to assist the poor from their own resources".

Through our words, prayers and deeds we must show solidarity with,   and compassion for, the poor. When instituting public policy we must always keep the "preferential option for the poor" at the forefront of our minds. The moral test of any society is how it treats its most vulnerable members.  The poor have the most urgent moral claim on the conscience of the nation. We are called to look at public policy decisions in terms of how they affect the poor.

Pope Benedict XVI has taught that "love for widows and orphans, prisoners  and the sick and needy of every kind  is as essential as the ministry of the sacraments and preaching of the Gospel ".  This preferential option for the poor and vulnerable includes all who are marginalised in our nation and beyond - unborn children  persons with disabilities,  the elderly and terminally ill, and victims of injustice and oppression.

How well do we as individuals and collectively  respond to what Jesus calls us to do? Do we stay in our bubbles of piety or go out and challenge the secular powers to act?  Do we stand with the victims of injustice and oppression and empower them?  The God of love is calling us....